Why Do I Hate Vegetables? And What Should I Eat Instead?

It could be your parents' fault. Taste buds are inherited, not developed, and about half the population gets them in one of two extremes: There are supertasters, who have a higher concentration of taste buds than the average person and therefore experience taste more profoundly. And then there are undertasters, who, not surprisingly, have a below-average number and require more flavor — and often more food — to satiate their taste buds. To find out if you're either, mix a packet of Sweet'N Low into half a glass of water and put a spoonful on your tongue. If you taste bitter, you're a supertaster. If you taste sweet, you're an undertaster. (If you taste both, you don't need to be reading this.)

Vegetables often taste extremely bitter to supertasters, who may have a hard time eating the recommended five to seven servings. So if you just can't stomach broccoli rabe, start taking a daily multivitamin. Although they're not quite as good for you as the foods themselves, multivitamins will keep you stocked with the nutrients you need to regulate your metabolism and to help your body detect certain types of cancers. Pick one endorsed by the U. S. Pharmacopeia (usp.org/USPVerified) to ensure that you're getting what's promised on the label, and you'll get everything you would from a healthy, balanced meal. Except, you know, food.

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